PPE and Roadies: What Really Happens If You Don’t Wear It?
Ask most roadies why they wear PPE and the answers are usually the same: “Because we have to”, “Because the site said so”, or “Because someone will moan if I don’t.” The truth is, for something that gets mentioned constantly, most of us don’t really know what happens if we don’t wear it — legally, financially, or professionally. We assume that we have no leg to stand on, if we were to be injured and aren’t wearing the right gear.
And let’s be honest — PPE is often a last-minute thought. It’s uncomfortable, it gets in the way, it costs money, and sometimes it just goes missing or gets nicked. But if something goes wrong on site — and you’re the one getting hurt — that bit of kit you almost left in the truck could end up being the difference between getting support or being blamed.
This blog is here to break it down.
Not the safety brief version — the real-world version. What happens if you’re hurt on the job? Who’s responsible? Does being freelance change the rules? And when exactly does a hi-vis or a hard hat actually matter in the eyes of the law?
High-Vis and the Law: What Happens If You Get Hurt?
Let’s say your foot gets run over by a forklift during a load-in — and you weren’t wearing high-vis. What happens next?
In the UK, high-vis counts as essential PPE in most venue and site settings. If you weren’t wearing it, that doesn’t automatically mean you can’t make a claim — but it could weaken your position. It’s called contributory negligence: if you’re seen as partly responsible for your own injury, any compensation may be reduced, or in some cases denied altogether.
If you were wearing high-vis and still got hurt, you’re in a stronger position both legally and professionally. You followed the rules — so any fault lies with the site, the venue, or another crew member.
As for production, the legal responsibility to support you depends on how you’re hired. If you’re freelance, and booked directly through the tour or a crewing company, they may still have a duty of care — but they’re not automatically liable. If a safety report is needed or an insurance claim gets messy, wearing the required PPE helps show you acted responsibly. Without it, you could find yourself stuck, with little backup.
Across Europe, the rules vary — and some countries are stricter. In Germany, for example, not wearing required PPE (like high-vis) could mean your insurance claim is invalid. In France, it can significantly reduce your legal protection — even if someone else caused the accident.
So, even if you’re just nipping to the truck, skipping your high-vis might seem harmless — until it suddenly isn’t. It protects more than just your body. It protects your claim, your income, and your position if things go wrong.
Hard Hats: When You Actually Need One (and What Counts)
Hard hats aren’t just props for looking like you take safety seriously — they’re classed as PPE under UK law and legally required in certain conditions. But what actually counts as a hard hat? A bike helmet won’t cut it — not in a venue, not on a job. To meet legal standards, a hard hat must be CE marked (or UKCA marked) and rated for industrial head protection (EN 397). It needs to be designed to handle falling objects, not just cushion you from a fall like cycling helmets do.
So, when do you actually need one?
If anyone is working above you — including in the roof, truss, or grid — you need to wear a hard hat. This includes load-ins when riggers are up top dropping motors or cabling.
If you’re on stage while work is happening overhead, even if it’s quiet, the law assumes risk is present — and so should your hard hat.
Once overhead work is done and signed off, hard hats are usually no longer required, but double-check with local crew or safety reps. Different venues and countries have different cut-offs.
If you’re not on stage or anywhere below overhead work, you don’t normally need one — for example, if you’re unloading a truck or setting cases elsewhere. But if there’s any chance of tools or hardware being dropped near you, wear one.
In the UK, safety reps and insurers take hard hat use seriously — especially if there’s an incident. In places like Germany or the Netherlands, not wearing one when required could void your protection entirely.
If you’re ever unsure, it’s safer (and smarter) to just put one on. It takes two seconds, protects your skull and your legal standing.
Gloves: No One Ever Thinks They Matter
A decent pair of work gloves is classed as hand protection under UK PPE regs. Fingerless wool mitts or garden gloves don’t count; you need CE- or UKCA-marked gloves rated for the hazards you face—sharp edges on truss, hot lamp housings, splintery ply lids, rolling ramp friction.
Hypothetically:
You and a colleague are pushing a flight-case up a steel ramp. Mid-push the casters slip on a wet patch; your bare hand jams under the handle, damaging skin and tendons. Heavy duty gloves wouldn’t have stopped the mishap, but it would’ve meant a scrape instead of a week off and stitches.
If you claim for lost earnings, insurers can argue contributory negligence because suitable gloves were cheap, available, and required.
When you should wear them:
Handling truss, steel, or ratchet straps.
Pushing/steering heavy cases or rolling risers.
Working with hot fixtures or pyro hardware.
Any task where cuts, crush, burn, or chemical risk exists.
When you might remove them:
Fine rigging or small-pin work where gloves reduce dexterity and create a new hazard.
The law says PPE must be suitable; if gloves make a job riskier, take them off—briefly.
Across much of the EU (e.g., Germany, France), ignoring mandated gloves can invalidate workplace accident cover outright. In the UK a missed glove won’t always kill a claim, but it hands the other side leverage to slash your pay-out.
Steel Toe Caps (and the Alternatives): What Counts, What Doesn’t
If you crush your foot at work, what you were wearing on it matters—legally, financially, and physically. In the UK, there’s no law that says you must wear steel toe caps specifically—but you do need appropriate toe protection for the job under PPE regulations. That means footwear compliant with EN ISO 20345, which includes a 200-joule impact resistance toe cap.
What does that mean?
Steel, composite, aluminium, and even carbon fibre toe caps can all be legal and safe—if they’re rated to standard.
Your trendy skate-style work shoes? They’re only valid protection if they’ve got the proper CE or UKCA marking.
Hypothetically:
You’re helping unload a truck, and a case slips off a ramp edge. It clips your foot, breaks your toe, and puts you out of work. If you were wearing certified toe protection, you’ve done your part. If you were in trainers or non-rated boots—even if they looked tough—insurers and the production may claim contributory negligence.
When you need them:
During load-ins/outs, especially where heavy items are rolling or shifting.
Anytime you’re working with cases, decking, truss, or plant (forklifts, etc).
On stages, loading docks, or backstage environments where gear is being moved.
When they’re less essential
Long show runs where you’re not shifting gear anymore (but watch out for build/break days).
Tasks with minimal load risk—like FOH work or office-based roles.
Some EU countries (e.g., the Netherlands and Austria) have even stricter policies, where not wearing approved toe protection in a designated zone could void insurance completely.
Key takeaway:
Your choice of footwear isn’t just a style or comfort preference—it can decide whether you’re protected, whether you get paid, and whether the blame shifts back onto you. Invest in a decent pair of certified boots with toe protection that matches the environment. They don’t have to be steel, but they do have to be certified.
Honorary mentions:
Hearing Protection
You’re often surrounded by noise well above safe levels — line checks, pyro tests, rigging clatter. The law says the production has to offer hearing protection if sound levels exceed certain thresholds, but if you don’t wear it, the liability shifts back to you. Freelancers aren’t immune from this — if you damage your hearing and didn’t take basic steps to protect it, that’s on you.
Eye Protection
If you’re drilling, sanding, grinding, or cutting — particularly in build days or carpentry roles — safety glasses or goggles should be used. If the production didn’t supply them and you weren’t told to wear them, they may share some legal responsibility. But if they were offered and you didn’t use them? Again, that risk becomes yours.
Knee Pads & Back Support
There’s no legal obligation to wear these, but if you injure yourself — pulling your back on a roll of steel deck or smashing your knee into a bolt during build — insurers will ask what steps you took to prevent it. Freelancers are expected to exercise “reasonable care.” Choosing to ignore known solutions like back braces or knee pads can weaken any claim you try to make.
Fall Protection (Harnesses)
This is where it gets serious. If you’re working at height, even briefly, you must use a harness — properly fitted, regularly inspected, clipped in and up-to-date. If the production failed to check this or let you up there without one, they’re partially liable. But if the gear was there and you ignored it? Don’t expect insurance, sympathy, or support if something goes wrong.
A Quick Note on Legal Accuracy:
This blog isn’t written by a lawyer, and none of the information here should be taken as legal advice. It’s based on industry experience and general content research. The common understanding in touring and live events is that you’re responsible for your own safety — including bringing, wearing, and knowing when to use the right PPE.
If you're hurt and not wearing the required gear, it's typically seen as your own responsibility, even if production didn’t provide it or check you were using it. Production may still need to be involved depending on the situation, and in some cases they might offer more support — but legally, things vary, situations are all unique and claiming against production could have negative implications in this close-knit industry. Use your own judgement, seek proper legal advice if needed, and treat this post as a reference point, not a rulebook. Do your own research.
